Head protecting headwear

ABSTRACT

An article of head protecting headwear in which an outer head enclosing shell is supported on its sides on a head band which includes a stiffly flexible band of lesser length than the opening of the shell to thereby provide gaps between the shell and the band forwardly and rearwardly of the points of support. A sweat band is secured to the inner face of the stiffly flexible band. In a preferred embodiment, the stiffly flexible band is adjustable in length at the rear of the shell and the sweat band is non-continuous and terminates short of the adjustable portion of the band.

Dec. 1 9, 1972 United States Patent Plastino [54] HEAD PROTECTING HEADWEAR [72] inventor:

Mario Plastino, 120 Tally Lane, Wantagh, N.Y. 11793 Nov. 27, 1970 Young......... ....2/3 R 8/1966 [22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-James R. Boier Attorney-Victor M. Helfand Appl. No.: 93,005

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[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS provide gaps between the shell and the band forwardly and rearwardly of the points of support. A sweat band is secured to the inner face of the stiffly flexible band.

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Af TORNEY HEAD PROTECTING HEADWEAR The present invention relates to head protecting headwear and, especially to head protecting headwear of the helmet-type, such as used by equestrians or cyclists.

Headwear of the type to which the present invention relates, as heretofore made, generally comprise a rigid outer head enclosing shell which contains in its interior a shock absorbing crown enclosing shell, to absorb and snub blows received on the crown area of the helmet and thereby protect the crown of the head.

While the head protecting helmets of the prior art have been effective for protecting the head against blows on its crown, such helmets have not effectively protected the head from blows against its front and rear areas below the crown. Heretofore, the shock of blows received on the helmet at the lower back of the head or at the forehead area, was transmitted with substantially full force and effect directly to such head areas, with frequent harmful effects. Also, wearers of peak helmets of the prior art because of the rigidity of their peaks, frequently suffered a whiplash injury to the neck from sudden sharp blows against the peak of the helmet, even if the front of the head was not directly injured.

it is the object of the present invention to provide helmet-type, head protecting headwear which, in addition to providing protection for the crown portion of the head, will also provide protection to the front and rear of the head below the crown.

It is another object of the present invention to provide helmet-type head protecting headwear which will greatly reduce, if not totally eliminate whiplash effects on the wearers neck from blows against the peak of the helmet.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide head protecting helmets of the character described which may be readily adjustable for varying head sizes, thereby obviating the necessity of providing such headgear in different sizes and thus make possible economies in production and in cost to the consumer.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide head protecting headwear of the character described which is of equally attractive appearance and of substantially equal weight as headwear of the prior art and which may be worn with equal comfort.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the headwear of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and from the description following. it is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of an article of head protecting headwear embodying the present invention, the form of a peaked riding cap, looking into its interior;

FIG. 2 is a sectional and partly elevational view of the riding cap taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a more or less fragmentary, diagrammatic, enlarged, sectional view of the head band of the cap of the present invention and the retaining means therefor, showing details of construction and assembly.

Generally stated, the present invention contemplates the provision of a head-protecting headwear of the character described which is provided with a headband that includes a longitudinally flexible, transversely stiff inner band, which is of lesser circumference than the head-receiving opening in the outer shell of the hat and which is secured to the marginal edge portions of such opening, at the sides of the outer shell, in a manner providing a space between the headband and the marginal edge portions of the outer shell of the headwear, extending around the front and around the rear of the shell to each side of the connections between such band and the outer shell. By this arrangement, a blow on the headwear at its front and at its rear is buffered by such spaces which permits the front and rear of the outer shell to absorb the shock without transmitting it directly to the front or rear of the head.

More specifically stated, and with reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the same shows head protecting article of headwear in the form of a riding cap, generally designated as 10, consisting of an outer shell, 12, formed of a rigid shockresistant material such as a rigid synthetic plastic or a metal, and a rigid peak, 14, extending from the front of the shell 12. While the illustrated embodiment shows the shell, 12 and peak, 14, as provided with an exterior decorative fabric cover 16 and an inner lining 18, it will be readily understood that in any other forms of head protective gear, such as cyclists or workers helmets, at least the exterior covering 16 may be eliminated and replaced with another form of surface decoration such as a cost of colored enamel or the like.

The outer shell 12 houses in its interior a head-crown enclosing, protective shell, 20, having shock absorbing characteristics. While any form of such buffer shell, conveniently used in the like articles of the prior art, may be utilized in connection with the headwear of the present invention, I prefer to use a shell 20 formed of stiffly compressible material, such as close-grained polystyrene foam formed of expandable granular polystyrene. As conventional, the crown-protecting shell, 20, has the edges of its opening terminate short of the edges of the opening of the outer shell, 12, generally at a point approximately on a level with the inner edge of the headband, secured to the marginal edge portion of shell 20, which, in the illustrated embodiment, is generally designated as 22.

Headband 22 comprises an inner, shell-supporting band, 24, formed of a material that is stifi'ly flexible, as of relatively thick polyethylene sheet material, as of approximately one-sixteenth inch or slightly lesser thickness, which may be relatively easily and economically produced as by cutting from large sheets of such material. Band 24 may be of conventional width and has secured to its outer or lower edge, as by stitching 25, the lower edge of the sweat band strip, 26.

Band 24 is secured to the sides of the outer shell 12, preferably by clamps or rivets, 28, in a manner (FIGS. 1 and 3) to leave a space, 30, between the front of the outer shell and the band 24, and a space, 32, between the rear of the shell 12 and the band 24. Preferably, such rivets may also comprise one of a pair of cocoperating snap fastener elements, 34, that projects to the exterior of the outer shell and is engageable by the copoperating snap fastener element, 36, at the end of a chin-strap 38.

To render the head band 22 of the present invention adjustable for various head sizes, the band 24 may be provided with overlapping ends at the rear of the outer shell 12, designated as 40 and 42 (FIG. I), which may be adjustably inter-engaged, in any suitable manner and by any suitable means, to vary the band circumference for different head sizes. In the illustrated embodiment, the means for adjustably interengaging the overlapping band ends 40 and 42 comprises a series of longitudinally spaced openings, 44, formed in at least one of the hand ends, as 40, and at least one opening, 46, formed in the other of the overlapping ends. The overlapping ends may be adjustably inter-engaged by means of a suitable clip passed through opening 46 and a selected one of openings 44. Preferably, in order to avoid possible head damaging bulges in the clip, the latter may be in the form of the clip illustrated, designated as 50, which is formed of a strip of deadbend metal, to provide the flat head portion, 52, and the foldable leg portions, 54.

To permit access to the overlapping ends 40 and 42 of band 24, for purposes of adjustment of its length, sweat band 26 may be non-continuous and have its ends terminable at the perforated portions of the ends 40 and 42 of band 24.

For the wearers comfort, sweat band strip 26 may be soft and compressible in thickness, as by being formed in the manner illustrated (FIG. 3), to consist of an outer fabric or leather ply, 56, an inner, thin plastic sheeting ply, 58, and an intermediate ply of padding, 60, as of polyurethane sponge material.

To protect the wearer of the helmet against neck injury from blows against the peak 14 which, in the prior art, was formed with the same rigid materials as the outer shell 12 and was generally continuous therewith, the present invention provides for such peak to comprise a relatively narrow rigid peak portion, 64, continuous with or contiguous to shell 12, and a peak shaped portion, 66, formed of stiffly flexible material, such as relatively thick polyethylene sheet material superposed by its inner edge over the rigid peak portion 64 and secured thereon and covered over, on both surfaces, by the exterior fabric cover material 16.

This completes the description of the head protecting headwear of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such headwear will afford protection to the front and rear of the head as well as to the top portion thereof. It will also be apparent that the headwear of the invention will afiord protection against whiplash effects on the wearers neck. It will also likewise be apparent that such headwear will afford such additional protection with little, if any, increase in costs; with little, if any, increase in bulk and that such added protec tion will not detract from the comfort of the wearer of from the appearance of the headwear. It will be likewise apparent that, because of the adjustability of the headwear supporting band to fit various head sizes, great economies in production may be effected with consequent economies to the purchaser. It will be additionally apparent that such size adjustment may be readily and easily effected by the user to suit the user's comfort, without causing irritation to the wearer.

It will be further apparent that numerous modifications and variations may be made in the head protecting headwear of the present invention, by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention above set forth and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity.

What 1 claim is:

1. An article of head protecting headwear comprising, a rigid, head-enclosing shell and means supporting said shell on a wearers head, said supporting means comprising a head-engaging band connected to said shell within the head-receiving opening thereof, said band being adapted to be tightly titted around the wearers head to form the sole support for the shell on the head, said head engaging band comprising a longitudinally flexible and relatively transversely stiff band of lesser circumference than the head receiving opening of said shell and having overlapping end portions, means adjustably interengaging said end portions of said flexible band to thereby vary its circumference for wear on heads of various sizes, means securing said flexible band of said head-engaging band to said shell at two opposed points on the sides of said shell in a manner to leave a space between said head-engaging band and said shell at the rear and front of said shell, and a sweat band strip connected by an edge to an edge of said flexible band, said sweat band having its free ends disposed adjacent the overlapping ends of said flexible band.

2. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein said band comprises a relatively thick polyethylene sheet material.

3. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein said means for interengaging said overlapping ends of said band comprises at least one opening formed in one of said overlapping ends and a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed in the other of said ends, and clip means engageable through said one opening and through a selected one of said plurality of openings to interengage said overlapping ends.

4. The article of headwear of claim 3, wherein said strip means comprises a flat strip of dead-bend metal folded to provide a flat, central head portion and foldable leg portions extending from said head portion and adapted to extend through openings, and foldable against said band to retain said clip within said openings.

5. The headwear of claim 1, wherein a crown pro tecting shell is disposed within said head enclosing shell.

6. The articles of headwear of claim 1, wherein said sweat band strip has its end terminate short of the perforated end portions of said band.

7. An article of head protecting headwear, comprising a rigid head-enclosing shell and means supporting said shell on a wearer's head including a head-engaging band adapted to fit tightly around the head of the wearer, said head band comprising a longitudinally flexible and relatively transversly stiff band of lesser circumference than said head-receiving opening and a sweat band strip connected by an edge to an edge of said flexible band, means securing said flexible band to said shell to opposed sides thereof in a manner to leave a space between said flexible band and the rear and front of said shell, said shell having an outer covering secured thereon and a peak at its forward end, said peak comprising an inner rigid portion connected to said shell and a stiffly flexible portion secured by its inner edge portion to said rigid peak portion, said covering extending over and under said peak. 5

8. The article of claim 7, wherein said stiffly flexible peak shaped portion comprises polyethylene sheet material.

sees: 

1. An article of head protecting headwear comprising, a rigid, head-enclosing shell and means supporting said shell on a wearer''s head, said supporting means comprising a head-engaging band connected to said shell within the head-receiving openinG thereof, said band being adapted to be tightly fitted around the wearer''s head to form the sole support for the shell on the head, said head engaging band comprising a longitudinally flexible and relatively transversely stiff band of lesser circumference than the head receiving opening of said shell and having overlapping end portions, means adjustably interengaging said end portions of said flexible band to thereby vary its circumference for wear on heads of various sizes, means securing said flexible band of said head-engaging band to said shell at two opposed points on the sides of said shell in a manner to leave a space between said head-engaging band and said shell at the rear and front of said shell, and a sweat band strip connected by an edge to an edge of said flexible band, said sweat band having its free ends disposed adjacent the overlapping ends of said flexible band.
 2. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein said band comprises a relatively thick polyethylene sheet material.
 3. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein said means for interengaging said overlapping ends of said band comprises at least one opening formed in one of said overlapping ends and a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed in the other of said ends, and clip means engageable through said one opening and through a selected one of said plurality of openings to interengage said overlapping ends.
 4. The article of headwear of claim 3, wherein said strip means comprises a flat strip of dead-bend metal folded to provide a flat, central head portion and foldable leg portions extending from said head portion and adapted to extend through openings, and foldable against said band to retain said clip within said openings.
 5. The headwear of claim 1, wherein a crown protecting shell is disposed within said head enclosing shell.
 6. The articles of headwear of claim 1, wherein said sweat band strip has its end terminate short of the perforated end portions of said band.
 7. An article of head protecting headwear, comprising a rigid head-enclosing shell and means supporting said shell on a wearer''s head including a head-engaging band adapted to fit tightly around the head of the wearer, said head band comprising a longitudinally flexible and relatively transversly stiff band of lesser circumference than said head-receiving opening and a sweat band strip connected by an edge to an edge of said flexible band, means securing said flexible band to said shell to opposed sides thereof in a manner to leave a space between said flexible band and the rear and front of said shell, said shell having an outer covering secured thereon and a peak at its forward end, said peak comprising an inner rigid portion connected to said shell and a stiffly flexible portion secured by its inner edge portion to said rigid peak portion, said covering extending over and under said peak.
 8. The article of claim 7, wherein said stiffly flexible peak shaped portion comprises polyethylene sheet material. 